Meta has advised users not to boost posts using their mobile app after changes to Apple’s T&Cs will add a whopping extra charge to advertising costs.

That’s right – Apple will soon begin to charge iOS users a 30% service fee on boosted posts when they’re purchased in app. Despite Meta’s opposition to the charge, it will still pass those costs on to its users.

However, at the same time as it delivered that bad news, Meta also said it has developed a work-around that will help marketers avoid the hefty fee to boost their content. Talk about giving with one hand and taking with the other!

Meta

“To support the millions of small businesses that use boosted posts on Facebook and Instagram, advertisers can now go to Instagram.com and Facebook.com on mobile and desktop to boost their content and avoid a 30% Apple service charge.”

Advertisers can access the two sites via their desktop browser or a mobile web browser, and then boost content. Boosting content in this way will work exactly the same as boosting posts from iOS apps, except it will come at a 30% discount as it avoids the service charge.

While not the most efficient method to promote your posts, at least it will let advertisers do it at a cost they’re used to.

Hit small advertisers hard

The change is most likely to affect small businesses, which often find more value in boosting posts to find new customers and increase engagement. In fact, they’re so popular that Meta says nearly all business accounts boosting posts are run by small businesses.

Apple’s change is part of its App Store Review Guidelines, which states that when anyone uses an iOS app to Boost a post, they will be billed through Apple – which then adds a 30% service charge to the cost.

And so, to help small businesses avoid the cost, Meta has come up with the workaround.

Small businesses love boosted posts

Boosted posts are loved by small businesses because they’re quick and easy to set up. Often small businesses will only use boosted posts across Facebook and Instagram as they allow them to run advertising without setting up a full campaign in Ad Manager.

Of course, small businesses often have one person filling in several different roles so efficiency is key. If they can create advertising on Meta without the need to spend a while going through the ins and outs of Ad Manager, like you’d do for a regular Meta Ad, then that’s more time in the bank to focus on other areas of the business.

More change coming

The surcharge isn’t the only change advertisers can expect. Apple is removing the ability to pay for an ad after it has run. In its place, it will initiate a prepaid system, which will make advertisers pay for boosted posts in advance.

Again, adding funds to an account via iOS will trigger the 30% charge. But, if a brand adds prepaid funds using a mobile web browser or a desktop computer, then they can use the funds without incurring the additional cost.

Meta

“If an advertiser chooses to add prepaid funds from their payment settings using their desktop computers or preferred mobile web browsers, they can then use these funds to boost content from any tool, including from the Instagram or Facebook iOS apps, without incurring fees.”